As the Amsterdam News continues to build on its recent successes, the 116-year-old newspaper has announced that Madison J. Gray has been hired as the new executive editor, taking the baton from Damaso Reyes.
“We are so excited to welcome Madison to the Amsterdam News Family and add him to the illustrious list of talented editors that have come before him. We look forward to working with him to reach even higher heights of editorial excellence,” said AmNews Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Elinor Tatum.
“It’s an honor to be a part of the century-long legacy of the New York Amsterdam News,” said Gray. “We’re at a critical time in the news business, particularly when it comes to the Black press. So I’m excited about joining this multi-talented team as it continues to make a difference in the community.”
Gray is hoping to expand the AmNews digital presence, reaching new audiences and growing the organization’s influence in today’s challenging marketplace. At the same time, he wants to offer even better coverage for readers who have been loyal for generations.
A native of Detroit who has lived in New York for 25 years, Gray is an award-winning media veteran who previously served as a senior editor at BET Digital, digital managing editor at Ebony.com and front door editor for CBSNews.com. He is an accomplished journalist with nearly 30 years of experience reporting from around the United States and West Africa.
Gray has been a fellow at the Poynter Institute and the Knight Digital Media Center at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. He has also served as parliamentarian for the New York Association of Black Journalists and Detroit NABJ. He is also a proud member of the Brooklyn Alumni Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.
“I am excited for Madison to join the AmNews team. He brings the experience and energy we need to grow and better serve our audience,” said AmNews Executive and Investigative Editor Damaso Reyes. A longtime contributor to the newspaper and founder of its Blacklight investigative unit, Reyes will be heading to Stanford University in the fall where he will be a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow. He will transition to become an AmNews’ editor-at-large where he will advise and consult for the newspaper and occasionally contribute journalism as well.
“We are exceptionally grateful to Damaso Reyes who, working with Publisher Tatum, created Blacklight, the first ever investigative unit at a legacy Black newspaper and has served with distinction, vision and ambition as our first executive editor. We are so proud to have Madison, with his distinguished achievements and accomplishments, next in line to lead Amsterdam News’ storied and award-winning newsroom,” emphasized Siobhan “Sam” Bennett, Amsterdam News President/CRO.
Over the past four years, the AmNews has experienced tremendous growth and raised the quality of its journalism. The newspaper and its staff have received awards from: The Deadline Club, The National Association of Black Journalists, The New York Press Association, The Newswomen’s Club of New York, The New York Association of Black Journalists, The Solutions Journalism Network, Editor & Publisher, The National Headline Awards, and The Local Media Association, among others.